Author Guide · Narrative History
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In the 1910s and 1920s, young American women painted watch dials with glowing radium paint, and were taught to shape their brushes with their lips. Years later they began to fall ill, and the companies denied any link. A handful of them went to court. Kate Moore, a British writer, discovered their story while directing a play about them, and wrote the first book to tell it from their point of view. This guide covers her two major books, and where to start.
By Lisanne Swart · 2 books · Narrative history · 2016–2021 · Updated October 2026
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Quick answer
Kate Moore is best known for two books of narrative history: The Radium Girls (2016), which won the Goodreads Choice Award for Best History, and The Woman They Could Not Silence (2021). She has also written other books, including as a ghostwriter.
Where to Start with Kate Moore
If you want the famous one
→ The Radium Girls (2016).
If you want the most recent
→ The Woman They Could Not Silence (2021).
All 2 Kate Moore Books, in Order
The Radium Girls
The women who painted watch dials with radium paint in New Jersey and Illinois, fell ill, and fought the companies in court, helping to change workplace safety law. It became a New York Times bestseller.
The Woman They Could Not Silence
Elizabeth Packard, committed to an asylum by her husband in 1860 for disagreeing with him, fought to prove her sanity and to change the laws that allowed it. It was a USA Today bestseller.
How Many Books Did Kate Moore Write?
Two major books of narrative history, in 2016 and 2021, besides other books, some written as a ghostwriter.
- Narrative history — both books. Read the entries →
In What Order to Read Kate Moore
The two books stand alone; both tell the story of women who fought injustice in court.
A reading path
1. The Radium Girls (2016)
2. The Woman They Could Not Silence (2021)
Quick facts about Kate Moore
- From
- Peterborough, England
- Career
- Former editorial director at Penguin Random House UK
- Prize
- Goodreads Choice Award for Best History (2017)
- Books
- 2 major books of narrative history
How Kate Moore Writes: The Women at the Centre
Moore tells history from the point of view of the women who lived it, working with their families and with letters, court records and diaries.
She writes in a novelistic, emotional style designed to make the reader care about each woman.
Frequently asked questions about Kate Moore's books
What books has Kate Moore written?
Kate Moore is best known for The Radium Girls (2016) and The Woman They Could Not Silence (2021).
Is The Radium Girls a true story?
Yes. It tells the true story of the women poisoned by radium paint in American factories in the early twentieth century.
Footnotes
Bibliography last verified 1 October 2026.
This list was not put together by a machine.
The notes are all mine,
and the books are all hers.
Lisanne x
Written by Lisanne Swart, who has curated reading lists and author guides at lisanneswart.com since 2021.
See more on her personal bookshelf.
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